Daniel Ricciardo has been under pressure at RB after four disappointing races this season. The Australian driver has failed to meet expectations since his return to F1 last season. He has had a disappointing start to the 2024 season, failing to earn any points in the first four rounds. Now, a former Le Mans winner has given his opinion on Ricciardo’s future with RB.
Ricciardo’s current contract will expire at the end of this year. He hoped to convince Red Bull to extend his contract at its sister team or potentially promote him to Milton Keynes. However, Bradley, the former Le Mans winner, insisted that Ricciardo would definitely be let go by the Faenza-based team, possibly after two more races. Bradley believes that another driver would be the ideal replacement for the 34-year-old.
According to the Briton, Daniel Ricciardo will no longer be racing in F1 once the sport reaches its European leg in the second half of May. However, it is believed that Ricciardo’s presence at RB is crucial for the team’s $35 million title partnership with Visa and CashApp. Despite his declining results, the Australian driver still has a large fanbase.
Daniel Ricciardo’s race in Miami ended early. He collided with the barriers after making contact with Alex Albon on the first lap. This incident further affected Ricciardo’s future prospects, especially as his teammate scored one point for RB. Tsunoda became the first Japanese driver in over a decade to earn points in Suzuka.
Richard Bradley claimed that Daniel Ricciardo appeared to have lost focus during the Japanese GP. The Australian driver should have been more cautious about the blind spot at the start. Bradley insisted that Ricciardo’s mistake was more typical of a driver in Formula 4 rather than an 8-time F1 race winner.
Daniel Ricciardo needs to improve his performance in the upcoming races. If his results don’t improve, he will inevitably lose his seat for next season. However, Red Bull has shown support for the 34-year-old so far. Fans are hoping to see Ricciardo push himself to the limit throughout this season.